Friends In Higher Places
by ScalePhoenix14825
Summary: Sherlock never told anyone about his former flat mate. There were a couple of reasons why. He could never read her, she made him feel much too human, and his thoughts became irrational when she was around. Years later, she's heard from certain "sources" that Sherlock had been having some "troubles" and decided to make an appearance when he least expects it. Sherlock/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Third Person POV**

Kayla sat at her desk with her legs slung over the side of the chair. Her eyes were shut as she listened to the unusual silence in her office. She knew it wouldnʼt last long and she wanted to savor every moment of it.

A few minutes later there was a knock at the door. She sighed and opened her eyes, slinging her legs so they were positioned properly under her desk. "Come in." she called. She groaned when she saw who walked in. "No need to look so pleased to see me." Nikolaus said, walking into Kaylaʼs office and sitting in one of the two chairs across from her.

"Should I be?" she asked, giving him a pointed look. Nikolaus chuckled and lounged in the chair he was sitting in. "Of course. How often do you get to see your only brother?" he asked, sounding extremely cocky. Kayla just rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair, folding her hands under her chin and closing her eyes.

"Just because youʼre my brother doesnʼt mean I want to see your ugly face?" she asked, smirking and opening her eyes. Nikolaus gave her a weird look and crossed his arms over his chest. "Kayla, weʼre twins." he said simply, trying to hold back a laugh. Kayla thought about it for a moment before retorting. "I obviously got the better genes out of the two of us." she said.

Nikolaus let out a loud laugh and doubled over in smaller laughs. Kayla cracked a smile and relaxed in her chair. "So, what brings you to this side of the establishment?" she asked after Nikolausʼ laugher died down. Kayla felt something deep down as she saw seriousness flash across her brotherʼs eyes.

"Whatʼs wrong?" she asked, sitting up straighter in her chair and her eyebrows furrowing. Nikolaus was silent for a moment before reaching into the bag he had placed on the floor when he came in and pulled out a tan folder. He gave her a sympathetic look before handing it to her.

Kayla took the folder and opened it slowly, feeling her heart clench when she saw whoʼs file it was.

_**William Sherlock Scott Holmes**_

_**Age: 36**_

_**Date of Birth: March 5, 1976**_

_**Place of Birth: Williamson General Hospital-London, England**_

_**Blood Type: O**_

_**Hair Color: Black**_

_**Eye Color: Green**_

_**Occupation: Consulting Detective**_

_**Current Address: 221B Baker Street-London, England**_

Kayla looked back up at Nikolaus after looking over the profile, refusing to go through anymore of his file. "Why are you showing me this?" she asked curtly, closing the file. Nikolaus gave her another sympathetic look before explaining.

"Samuelʼs orders. Our latest target has gotten fairly close with your old flat mate. Samuel thought that since you have a past with him, you might be able to get us closer to Adler and-" he explained before Kayla cut him off.

"No." she said simply, pushing the file away from her and getting up from her desk. "Not going to happen. You can tell that to Samuel." she said, opening the door as an indication for Nikolaus to leave. He understood her hint and got up. He gave her one last look before giving her a kiss on the cheek and leaving her office.

He knew how this affected his sister. He argued with Samuel about who should be sent to investigate, but Samuel insisted that it was Kayla.

Kayla shut the door after her brother left and went back to her desk. She tentatively picked up Sherlockʼs file and put it in the drawer to be forgotten. She rubbed her eyes tiredly. She glanced at the clock and sighed. Her shift wouldnʼt be over for at least two hours. She jumped when her phone vibrated in her pocket.

Pulling it out of her back pocket, she cursed when she saw who it was. "Hello?" she said after answering the call. _ʻRines, I want you in my office. Now.ʼ _came the calm voice of her boss. Kayla didnʼt have any problems with her boss, but he always seemed to put her in the worst situations possible.

"Yes, sir." she responded and cringed when she heard the beep letting her know that heʼd hung up on her. She put her phone back into her back pocket and left her office, locking it before she made her way down the hall to Samuelʼs office.

She stopped outside of the office she had been in so many times before and knocked. There was a moment of silence before the door opened to reveal a rather large black man with tattoos on around his biceps. He smiled down at her and ushered her into his office. Kayla went in and waited.

"Sit down, Kayla." he told her walking around and sitting at his desk. Kayla did as she was told and sat in the chair that was directly opposite.

"Iʼm guessing Nicky gave your new orders." he said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. Kayla nodded, but didnʼt say anything. She knew where this was going and didnʼt like it one bit. Samuel sighed, noticing the scowl on her face. "Kayla, thereʼs a reason I chose you. And itʼs not just because you have a past with Mr. Holmes." he said.

Kayla remained silent, proving Samuelʼs suspicions on this case hitting certain nerves. "Youʼre the best agent we have and Iʼm positive you can handle this case better than the others." he said, letting out a puff of smoke. Kayla let out a sigh and ran her hands over her face. "I donʼt know, Sam. We didnʼt really part on the best of terms. What makes you think Iʼll be able to get any information from him?" she asked.

Samuel chuckled before leaning back in his chair and giving her a pointed look. "Even though you donʼt like it, you have a way with people. Youʼll be able to do this." he said. Kayla groaned and slumped in her chair. "Fine. Iʼll do it." she said, sounding less than pleased. "If you leave now, youʼll be in London by tomorrow night." he told her with a grin. She looked up at him confused. "But tomorrow nightʼs Christmas Eve. I canʼt just barge in on someoneʼs life during the holidays." she said, not really think Sherlock would be celebrating anything.

Samuel just quirked an eyebrow. Kayla rolled her eyes and got up. "I donʼt get paid enough for this job." she grumbled, pausing at the door with her hand on the door knob. "I wonʼt do anything to hurt him. Iʼm letting you know this right now." she said and left the room before Samuel could say anything. Kayla stood in the airport with a gym bag over her shoulder and pair of aviator sunglasses over her face as she looked out the large window in the waiting area. Her plane was scheduled to leave in twenty minutes and boarding was in five. Just as the steward announced that the flight was ready for boarding, she took her ticket out of her pocket and walked to the terminal.

The flight was peaceful thanks to Samuel, who made sure she had a first class ticket for the flight. The flight from Australia to England was longer than she expected and was exhausted when the flight landed. The clocks on the walls said it was three in the afternoon and she was determined to get a few hours of sleep before starting anything.

The hotel she was booked in was fairly nice compared to some of the others sheʼd stayed in while on past missions. It wasnʼt cheap, but it wasnʼt overly priced. She gave her fake name, Sherry Mitchell, to the woman at the front desk. The woman smiled and handed her a key and a piece of paper with her room number on it.

Kayla thanked her and made her way to her room.

The room was nice, but didnʼt feel right to Kayla. She would have preferred to stay in her bunk room back at HQ, but here she was. She threw her bag on the chair next to the bed and collapsed onto the bed. The bed was stiff and she knew she wouldnʼt be getting very much sleep.

She set an alarm on her phone to go off at five and then sheʼd make her way to her old flat and past.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Third Person POV**

Kayla groaned when her phone started to go off. She was tempted to throw it across the room and have it shatter when it hit the wall. She rolled over and almost fell off the bed. She caught herself, fully awake now and positioned herself so she wasnʼt right on the edge anymore. She grabbed her phone and shut the alarm off. She laid there for a few minutes, getting her thoughts together before getting up and going into the bathroom for a quick shower.

After she got out, she dried her hair, ran a comb through it, and pulling on some undergarments. She grabbed her gym bag off the chair, lying it on the bed, and started pulling some clothes out. She decide to go with a pair of dark blue jeans and a dark green turtle neck.

After she was dressed, she pulled on a pair of simple white socks and then slipped her black tennis shoes on. Slipping her phone into her back pocket, she grabbed her black zipper jacket and headed out of her room, locking it as she went. She headed out into the cool London air, shivering and pulling her jacket closer to herself. She hailed a cab and got into the one that pulled up beside her. She gave the address and sat back. From what she remembered, the hotel she was in was a few miles from her old flat and would take at least twenty minutes to get there without traffic.

The cab pulled onto to the familiar street and up to the familiar building. She got out and paid the cabbie. Walking up to the front door, she found a small note tapped to the front door. The note said to come up if you were attending the Christmas Eve get together and it was signed by Mrs. Hudson.

Kayla smiled and slowly opened the door. She felt nervous when she could hear voices coming from upstairs. The most prominent was a deep voice she knew all too well. "Thank you, Molly." Sherlock said lowly, kissing her on the cheek. He pulled away and walked over the the fireplace. John and Lestrade glanced at each other with a confused expression. Mrs. Hudson looked at Sherlock with concern.

They all jumped, except for Sherlock who refused to move from his position facing away from everyone, when there was a knock on the door. "Kayla?" Mrs. Hudson said, her voice somewhere between a excited and worried. At the mention of her name, Sherlock spun around and looked at the girl standing in the doorway.

"Hello, Mrs. Hudson." Kayla said, avoiding eye contact with Sherlock. Mrs. Hudson gave off a light squeal and walked over to envelop her in a tight hug. Kayla regretted a lot of things about leaving 221B and one of them was leaving without saying goodbye to Mrs. Hudson.

When she pulled away, she placed both hands on Kaylaʼs face and smiled at the girl. Mrs. Hudson and Kayla were about the same height so Kayla didnʼt have to look up or down at the older woman. "Itʼs wonderful to see you again, dear." she said. Kayla let out a shaky laugh and smiled. "Itʼs good to see you too, Mrs. Hudson." She finally looked at Sherlock. She saw so many emotion flash in his eyes and she started to wonder if coming here was a good idea. "Hello, Sherlock." she said lowly, forcing a smile on her face as she looked at him. Sherlockʼs face remained expressionless, but his eyes betrayed what he was really feeling.

In three long strides he was in front her. Mrs. Hudson moved out of the way and went to stand next to Molly. Kayla watched as Sherlockʼs eyebrows furrow and was surprised when he grabbed her bicep and dragged her down the stairs and into Mrs. Hudsonʼs kitchen. "Whatʼre you doing here?" he asked and Kayla thought she heard a hint of anger in his voice.

"What? I canʼt come visit an old friend?" she asked, freeing her arm from his grip and crossed them over her chest. He looked down at her and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Donʼt lie to me, Kayla. I know you wouldnʼt just_come back_. Not for a friendly visit." he said, his voice calmer this time.

"Maybe I was worried." she said. Sherlockʼs eyes snapped open and he looked down at her again. "Worried? Why would you be worried?" he asked. his eyebrows furrowing again. Kayla rolled her eyes and walked away from him so she wasnʼt right up against him.

She walked over and leaned against the counter. "Why wouldnʼt I be worried? Iʼve been hearing things about you, Sherlock. Maybe I was worried about your safety. I may have left without telling anyone, but that doesnʼt mean I didnʼt care. I had my reasons and I _do _regret leaving without saying goodbye." she said, feeling her stomach clench. Sherlock was quiet as he watched her. As he looked at her, he came up blank. He could understand why heʼd come up blank with Irene Adler, but heʼd never been able to read Kayla. Not even when she lived here with him.

"Why?" he questioned. Kayla looked up at him confused. "Why what?" she asked. Sherlock rolled his eyes and walked towards her. He stopped right in front of her and looked down at her.

"Why did you leave?" he asked lowly. Kayla looked up and into his eyes and what she saw made her want to cry. She saw that he was hurt that she had left and that he needed this question to be answered, even if this was the last time he saw her. Kayla took a deep breath and let her head drop so she didnʼt have to look into his eyes, knowing she wouldnʼt be able to. "I left because I cared. I left because your life was in danger. I canʼt tell you why, but I can tell you that if I had stayed, you wouldnʼt be here right now." she said, looking up at him as she said the last part.

**A/N: Please R&R! I'd love to know what you guys think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: OMG! Thank you guys so much for the reviews! They make me feel wonderful and helps me write more. Hope you guys enjoy the new chapter!**

**Chapter Three**

**Third Person POV**

Sherlock was, for once, speechless. He looked down at her wide eyed. His mind was racing a mile a minute and he wanted to say something, but couldnʼt come up with anything. "Sherlock, maybe it would be better if I left and we just pretend I never came here tonight." she said and was about to move around him to leave, but was stopped when Sherlock wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him in a tight hug.

After the surprise of the sudden action wore off, she wrapped her arms around Sherlock as well to return the hug. They stayed like that for what felt like hours to Kayla and she didnʼt want to let go. She had been gone for too long and it was nice to be back. "Thank you." Sherlock whispered into her hair after a while. Kayla smiled and pulled away. "No need to thank me, Sherlock. I always did want to tell you the reason I left, but didnʼt have the nerve to contact you after all these years." she said, a light blush coming to her cheeks.

Sherlock chuckled. "You can stay and join us if youʼd like. Iʼm sure Mrs. Hudson would be more than pleased to introduce you to everyone." he said softly, smiling softly down at her. Kayla laughed. "Sure. Iʼd love to see how youʼe been doing since Iʼve been gone." she told him.

Sherlock didnʼt understand why, but he always felt more human when she was around.

"Who is she?" John asked Lestrade, who was sitting next to him on the couch. Lestrade shrugged and crossed his legs. "Iʼve never seen her before." he said, taking a sip of his tea. "Oh, she and Sherlock used to be so close. Then she just up and left one day. But that was was years ago." Mrs. Hudson said, walking over to the couch and looking at the smiley face on the wall disapprovingly.

"Really?" Lestrade asked. "I donʼt ever remember seeing her or Sherlock mentioning her." he added skeptically.

"I didnʼt work _with _Sherlock. I preferred to stay home and make sure he didnʼt fuck anything up. Not I succeeded all the time." Kayla said from the doorway, causing everyone to turn and look at her.

Sherlock placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her into the room. Mrs. Hudson walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a friendly smile. "Everyone, this is Kayla Rines. Kayla, this is Doctor John Watson," she said pointing to John who gave her a small wave and smile, "and Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade," pointing to Lestrade who smiled politely, "and Doctor Molly Hooper," pointing to Molly who walked over and shook her hand with a friendly smile, "and Johnʼs girlfriend Jeanette." who smiled.

The next half an hour was spent with Kayla sitting the back of Sherlockʼs chair and listening to Mrs. Hudson fill her in on what sheʼd missed while she was gone. Mrs. Hudson kept hinting for a reason on why she had left and Kayla kept evading them by asking more questions.

She glanced around the room and noticed that almost everyone was gone with the exception of John, Jeanette, herself, and Mrs. Hudson. "Whereʼd everyone go?" she asked, looking around. John looked up from where he was sitting. "Didnʼt you hear Sherlock? He said someone was going to die and dragged Lestrade and Molly out." Kayla blinked a couple of times. "Oh." was all she said before looking at Mrs. Hudson. Mrs. Hudson just shrugged her shoulder, but Kayla saw how worried she really was. She jumped a little when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She glanced at the caller ID and almost groaned out loud. "Excuse me." she said before walking down the stairs and standing at the landing.

"You know, you could give me a little time before checking on my progress." she said into the phone after answering it, not giving the caller a chance to say anything. _ʻSomeoneʼs bitchy.ʼ _came a familiar voice from the other end. Kayla rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to will away the forming headache. "Iʼm not bitchy, just a little on edge, Nikolaus." she replied, her voice confirming what she said. There was silence from the other end and Kayla was about to ask why he called when he answered her. _ʻKay kay, this mission is terminated. Samuel got word __moments ago. Adlerʼs dead.ʼ_

Kayla was silent for a moment. She didnʼt know what to say. If it wasnʼt for this mission, she wouldnʼt have contacted Sherlock at all. Kayla sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose harder. _ʻSamuel says you donʼt have to be back for another week. Think of it as a __vacation. You definitely need one.ʼ _Nikolaus told her, trying to sound more cheery. Kayla groaned. He was right. She hadnʼt had a day off in months. "Fine." she grumbled. She heard Nikolaus chuckle on the other end and told her that heʼd have Samuel set everything up for her stay in London.

"Thank you, Nicky." she said, a small smile pulling at the edge of her lips. _ʻAny time Kay __Kay.ʼ _her brother said, sounding happy that his sister was finally taking a break from work after being stuck up in her office with nothing but paperwork to keep her occupied. _ʻI love you, Kay, and Iʼll see you when you get back.ʼ _Nikolaus said. "I love you too, Nick. See you then." she said, hanging up the phone and putting it in her back pocket again.

She turned around and almost screamed. She clapped one hand over her mouth and the other over her chest, trying to calm herself. After she had calmed down, she removed the hand from her mouth to place it with the other on her chest. "Donʼt. Sneak up. On me." she growled.

Sherlock grinned from where he was standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Youʼre staying?" he said asked, pulling his scarf off. Kayla let out a breath and relaxed completely. "Only for about a week. Then I have to be heading back to Australia." she told him.

She felt her stomach drop when she saw sadness flash across his eyes, but was gone quicker than it had appeared. "Adlerʼs dead." he said simply. Kayla knew she looked shocked and quickly replaced it with confusion. "Whatʼd you mean?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"I may not be able to read you like I can other people, but I _can _hack into your phone. I saw the text message that Nikolaus sent to you that summarized your business here." he said and Kayla swore she saw smugness flash across his face. Kayla looked at him surprised. She was about to ask how heʼd gotten her phone when he answered her unasked question.

"While you were talking with Mrs. Hudson, it slipped out of your pocket and fell into my chair. I slipped it back into your pocket before you even realized it was gone." he said, smirking and starting up the stairs. Kayla let out a huff of annoyance and followed him up the stairs. "Thatʼt not fair, Sherlock, and you know it." she told him, following him into the living area of the flat.

"I never said I worked fairly, Kayla." he said, hanging his coat on the coatrack. John sat in his chair and watched the two bicker. Heʼd never seen anyone deal with Sherlock the way she was. She acted as if she knew him in a way no one else did. _Maybe she does_, John thought to himself. He looked down at the phone that sat in his lap. MyCroft had called and said that Sherlock wouldnʼt be himself when he got back. John assumed it was because Irene was dead. Now that John really looked at the man who heʼd lived with for some time now, he looked happier. He seemed somewhat content arguing with this woman who showed up less than two hours ago. He jumped a little when Mrs. Hudson tapped him on the shoulder.

"Come down and help me with some of this mess. Leave these two alone for a while so they can catch up" she said softly. John nodded and stood, following the old land lady downstairs.

**A/N: Let me know what you guys think so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! They make me feel wonderful about where this is headed!**

**Chapter Four**

**Third Person POV**

Kayla was sprawled out in Sherlockʼs chair, her legs dangling off the side as she listened to Sherlock talk about one of his cases while she was away. "What do you think of him?" Sherlock asked. Kayla looked at him from where she was sitting. He was standing next to her so she had to crane her neck a little to look up at him.

"Who?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. She wasnʼt ashamed to admit that sheʼd zoned out while Sherlockʼd been talking. Sherlock just rolled his eyes and went over and sat in Johnʼs chair. "John." he said, folding his hands under his chin. He would never admit it out loud, but her opinion of John mattered to him.

Kayla smiled. "I think heʼs a good change for you." she said, smirking when he glared at her. "If you didnʼt want my opinion, you shouldnʼt have asked." she laughed, her smirk fading into a large smile.

Kayla stifled a yawn as she looked at her watch. "Oh god! I need to get going. Itʼs almost three in the morning." she groaned, rubbing her eyes. Sherlock raised an eyebrow in her direction. "Donʼt give me that look. Unlike you, I enjoy sleeping." she said, getting up and walking over to Sherlock.

He stayed silent and just watched her. She laughed lightly and leaned down. She kissed him on the forehead and went over to the coatrack. "Iʼll see you tomorrow, Sherlock." she said, grabbing her coat and heading downstairs. She paused at the door, thinking of stopping to say goodbye to Mrs. Hudson, but decided against it considering how late it was.

Kayla smiled, zipped her jacket up, and left the flat.

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Sherlock sat in Johnʼs chair and smiled to smiled to himself. He got up from Johnʼs chair and headed to his bedroom, deciding to try and get some sleep. He felt more relaxed now than he had in a really long time. After heʼd stripped and threw something much more comfortable on, he sprawled out on his bed and grinned.

He absently ran his finger over his forehead where Kayla had kissed him before leaving. She did it all the time when they lived together. He found out it was her way of saying ʻdonʼt do anything stupid while Iʼm gone or you wonʼt like the consequencesʼ.

Sherlock rolled onto his side and decided to go to sleep. If Kayla was going to be here for the next week, he was going to make sure she had a wonderful time. Within moments, Sherlock was asleep, his mind completely void of The Woman and all the problems sheʼd caused while she was.

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Kayla woke up the next morning to a loud knocking at her door. She groaned and looked at the alarm clock on the night stand. She groaned even louder when she saw sheʼd only been asleep for a few hours. Jumping when there was another loud knock at her door, she threw off the blankets that sheʼd managed to keep on that night off and headed for the door.

She looked through the little peephole and rolled her eyes. ʻOf course heʼd know where Iʼm staying.ʼ she thought to herself as she unlocked the door. "You better have brought me coffee if youʼre gonna wake me up this early." she said, opening the door enough so she could look out at him.

Sherlock grinned and held up a styrofoam cup. "Black, two sugars." he said. Kayla smiled and opened the door fully to let him in. He handed her the cup, which she took gratefully, and shrugged his coat off to drape it across the chair in front of the small desk in her room. Kayla walked over and curled up on one of the two chairs that was by the balcony window. Sherlock walked over and sat in the other chair, crossing his legs. "You better have a good reason for waking me up after only four hours of sleep." she said, taking a tentative sip of her coffee.

Sherlock chuckled and looked out the window for a second before turning back to Kayla. "I thought since you only have a week here, weʼd spend some time together." he said, grinning when she gave him a perplexed look. She blinked a couple of times before opening her mouth and then closing it again.

"Okay, what have you done with the Sherlock I know." she said, raising an eyebrow. Sherlock let out a light laugh and stood up. "Itʼs still the same me. I just thought youʼd like to spend some time with me before you left." he said, faking a hurt expression. Kayla took another sip of her coffee.

"What did you have planned." she asked, closing her eyes and enjoying the sensation of the hot coffee running down her throat. Sherlock turned around and looked at her. He smirked and waked over to her chair. He leaned over and rested on the side of her chair. "I want you to go to a crime scene with me." he said, his smirk growing when she glared up at him.

"Sherlock-" she started, but was stopped when Sherlock help up a hand to tell her to stop so he could explain himself. "Johnʼs over at Jeanetteʼs trying to patch his relationship with her and I need someoneʼs professional opinion." he told her. Kayla took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. "Professional?" she asked.

Sherlock smirked and stood up straight. "Yes. I need someone who can pick anotherʼs mind without them knowing it. If I remember correctly, and I am correct, you were going to college for psychology." he said, a smug looking coming across his face. "I _was_ going to college for psychology. Then I met you and made it my personal goal to figure you out. When I didnʼt-"

"You dropped out because you didnʼt think youʼd be any good." he finished for her. "That doesnʼt mean you werenʼt any good. I have to admit, you almost had me spilling every dark secret I had to you when youʼd sit and talk with me all those late nights." he said, his face and eyes softening.

She didnʼt want to admit, but he was right. She thought she could be the best psychologist if she could crack Sherlock Holmes. When she couldnʼt she gave up because she thought that if she couldnʼt figure him out, how was she going to figure anyone out.

After a moments of serious thought, she nodded her head. "Alright. Iʼll go with you. But only because Iʼll get to put my skills to use." she said, getting up from her chair and handing her coffee to Sherlock.

She walked over to her bag and pulled out some clothes. "Iʼll be back in fifteen, twenty minutes. Try not to break or ruin anything while Iʼm in the shower." she said and before she could answer, she was in the bathroom. Sherlock rolled her eyes and took a drink of her coffee.

**A/N: Please R&R!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: To lightsabove's question: yes, there will be romance. I'm just not sure how I'm going to do that part right now. I'm working on it though. Hope you enjoy the update!  
**

**Chapter Five**

**Third Person POV**

Kayla walked out of the bathroom exactly seventeen minutes and forty-three seconds later. Sherlock knew this because heʼd been keeping track in his mind to keep it occupied. Kayla was more than surprised when she walked out of the bathroom. When she had lived with Sherlock, he had a tendency to go through her things when he was bored. Luckily, she found all of her things where she had left them.

"Iʼm surprised." she said, pointing to her bag that was laying on the bed. Sherlock looked up from his position in his chair and smirked. "Do you think me so immoral as to go through a womanʼs personal belongings?" he asked, getting up from the chair. Kayla placed her hands on her hips and gave him an ʻoh reallyʼ look.

"You used to go through my stuff all the time." she said pointedly. Sherlock chuckled and walked over to her. "You shouldnʼt have left me home alone." he said, grabbing her jacket off the back of the chair and handing it to her. Kayla just rolled her eyes, a smirk forming as she slipped it on and followed him out of her room. Once they made it outside, Sherlock hailed a cab. One pulled up beside them and they both got in. "478 Preston street." Sherlock told the cabbie. They spent the cab ride in a comfortable silence, until the cab pulled up to an abandoned building. They both got out of the cab and Kayla paid the cabbie.

Sherlock raised an eyebrow at her. "Donʼt look at me like that. We both know I pay for the cab. Nothingʼs changed about that." she said, fixing her clothing after getting out of the cab and grinning at him. She wore a pair of black dress pants and a light purple, short sleeve, button down shirt with a fair of black flats.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, unable to hide the smirk that formed, and turned away from her to lead them to where they were needed. Kayla let out a light laugh and jogged to catch up with him. "Youʼre still as stubborn as ever." she said when caught up with him. Sherlock looked down at her and smiled.

"You know, amateurs shouldnʼt be allowed at crime scenes." a woman said when they walked up to the caution taped door. "If I was such an amateur, Donovan, why would Lestrade call me when he needs my help?" Sherlock asked. While Donovan was retorting to Sherlockʼs question, something caught Kaylaʼs eye.

She moved away from Sherlock and walked over to the side of the building and crouched down. There against the wall was a hypodermic needle. She pulled a pair of gloves from her coat pocket and a plastic baggie from her pants pocket. Picking up the hypo and putting it in the plastic baggie.

She stood up again and headed back to the door. When she got there, Donavan had a scowl on her face. "Iʼm sorry, I canʼt let you through." she told Kayla curtly. Kayla chuckled and pulled her badge from her back pocket. "Special Agent Kayla Rines. Iʼm here with Sherlock Holmes." she said, her voice becoming authoritative and assertive. Donavanʼs eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed several times before closing. She stepped away speechless and allowed Kayla to walk through. Kayla gave her a smug smile before heading further into the crime scene. She caught sight of a familiar face and made her way towards it. "Detective Inspector. Itʼs wonderful to see you again." she said, walking up and extending her hand to the older man. Lestrade gave her a pleasant smile and shook her hand.

"Ms. Rines, Itʼs wonderful to see you again. If you donʼt mind me asking, whatʼre you doing here?" he asked when he let go of her hand. Kayla chuckled and reached into her back pocket for her badge again. "I should probably introduce myself properly. You canʼt tell Sherlock though. Iʼve kept it from him since Iʼve known him. Iʼm Special Agent Kayla Rines, second in command of Phantom." she said, handing Lestrade her badge. "Isnʼt Phantom that secret organization that thinks their above the law and can do whatever they think?" he asked, looking over her Phantom ID. Kayla laughed and took her badge back when he offered it back. "Yup. Thatʼs us."

"Iʼve heard some terrible things about you guys. Is it true you guys prevented the Germain group Enigma from invading American?" he asked, intrigued by this new found information. Kayla looked up at him wide eyed. "Howʼd you hear about that? It was completely top secret at the time." she said.

It was Lestradeʼs turn to chuckle. "There was a leak somewhere and it got out to the government and then it made itʼs way down to us at the Yard. I didnʼt know if it was real or not." he said, leaning against the doorway he was standing in. "Yeah. We came close to completely loosing that case. A former agent gave his life to make sure Enigma didnʼt succeed." she said sadly. Lestrade knew that look and his face fell.

"Iʼm sorry for your loss. He must have meant a lot to you." he said, his voice sincere. Kayla looked up and smiled, but Lestrade could still see the sadness in his eyes. "He was my partner since he joined." she said, a sad smile coming across her face. She shook her head and clasped her hands behind her back.

"Itʼs not the time to bring up the past. After all, that was years ago." she said, all emotion fleeing from her eyes and features. Lestrade nodded his head and pushed off the wall. "Iʼm guessing you came with Sherlock. Heʼs this way." he said, leading her up a flight of stairs and into what looked like an abandoned bedroom.

Laying on a raggedy looking bed was a girl. No more than thirteen. Kayla felt her heart tug for the girl. Looking down at the girl in thought was Sherlock. He had a perplexed look on his face as his mind raced with deductions.

Kayla looked around the room and walked over to the opened window opposite of the bed. She walked over and stuck her head out, looking down at the ground. She felt a grin tugging at the corner of her lips. She pulled herself back into the room and spun around. "Suicide." she said simply.

Sherlock spun around and looked at her confused. "Howʼd you know that?" Lestrade asked from the doorway. Kayla reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the baggie with the hypo in it. "While Sherlock was bickering with Sergeant Donavan, the sun caught the needle and the reflection caught my eyes." she said, handing the baggie to Lestrade.

Lestrade and Sherlock looked at her in disbelief. "What? Oh, come on! It wasnʼt that hard. She over dosed and threw the needle out of the window to make it look like a homicide." she explained.

After a moment of silence, she turned to Sherlock. "Really Sherlock, Iʼm disappointed in you. I thought youʼd figure it out before me." she teased the consulting detective who was looking at her with wonderment. She then turned to Lestrade. "Youʼll want to have that tested to see what she used to OD." she said, crossing her arms over her chest. Lestrade was silent for a moment before coming out of his state of shock. "Yes. Of course. Iʼll get this checked." he said, turning around and looking down the stairs. "ANDERSON!" he called. Sherlock huffed. "Not Anderson. You said over the phone he wouldnʼt be here." Sherlock complained, a look of disdain coming across his face.

"I lied. I knew you wouldnʼt come if he was here." Lestrade explained defensively. Sherlock rolled his eyes and huffed again causing Kayla to stifle a laugh at the way he was reacting. Sherlock glared at her as the Forensic Scientist came up the stairs. "Have this analyzed for whatever was in it." he told him and turned back to Sherlock. "Who invited the psychopath?" Anderson asked, not bothering to turn to Sherlock. Sherlock made what sounded like a growl in the back of his throat before shoving past the two men. "Iʼve told you before, Anderson. Iʼm not a psychopath." he said, making his way down the stairs. Kayla sighed and headed after him.

"I would try and apologize about his behavior, but I donʼt think I can anymore." she said, passing by the two men and down the stairs after Sherlock. Lestrade shook his head and smiled a little. "Who was that?" Anderson asked confused. Lestrade headed down the stairs, hands in his pockets.

"Someone who might be able to rival the great Sherlock Holmes."

**A/N: Please R&R!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Third Person POV**

Sherlock was leaned against a cab when Kayla emerged from the abandoned building. "What?" she asked when she realized he was looking at her funny. Sherlock smirked and then pushed off of the cab. "Nothing. How about lunch?" he asked, getting into the cab. Kayla rolled her eyes and got in after him. "Lunch sounds wonderful."

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"How did you do it?" Sherlock asked taking a drink of his coffee. Kayla raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Iʼm good at what I do." she replied, picking at a piece of lettuce from her salad. "And what exactly is it that you do?"

"Youʼre the consulting detective. You figure it out." she challenged, grinning when he glared at her. "Is everything alright, Kayla? Youʼve barely touched your meal?" Angelo asked, coming over to the table they were sitting at. Kayla looked up at the larger man and smiled. "Iʼve eaten the chicken. Thatʼs a start." she defended, a smile playing at her lips.

Angelo chuckled fondly. "True. Iʼll give you that one, dear. Itʼs wonderful to see you back and out with our dear Sherlock again." he said before the cook called him into the kitchen. "Thank you, Angelo." Kayla called to the owner and then chuckled to herself. Sherlock sat quietly and watched the exchange, a small smile on his face. He never understood how she could be so comfortable around people, but it amazed and intrigued him. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text.

_Lestrade just texted me. Whatʼs going on?-JW_

Sherlock grinned and quickly replied.

_Iʼll explain later.-SH_

He slipped his phone back into his pocket and returned his attention to the woman who was sitting across form him. He had to admit to himself that the purple of her shirt was very flattering to her features and her hair color. He couldnʼt understand where the accusations of blonds being unintelligent came from. Kayla was brilliant. He had been quite disappointed when she dropped out of college. She had such potential. Her grades were fantastic and she had knack for picking peoples minds. He was jolted from his thoughts when something was thrown at him. He looked down and picked up the small, rolled up piece of napkin.

He looked up at Kayla and raised an eyebrow. Kayla laughed. "Quit staring at me like that. Itʼs unnerving." she said and Sherlock couldnʼt help the smirk that formed when he saw the slightest shade of red tint her cheeks. "Ready?" he asked, getting up and slipping his coat on.

Kayla let out a shaky laugh and got up as well, slipping her jacket on. "Ready." she said, walking ahead of him and out of the restaurant. Sherlock chuckled and followed after her, wrapping his scarf around his neck after he paid. When he got outside, Kayla was leaning against a cab waiting for him.

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Sherlock and Kayla were talking about the chemicals used in making a nitrogen bomb when they arrived at the hotel Kayla was staying at. She hadnʼt realized how late it really was when they left Angeloʼs. "What about Sodium chloride?" she asked, rounding the corner of the hall her room was on.

"Too messy." he replied. Kayla stopped abruptly when she saw light streaming out into the hall where her door was. She ran forward and into her room. She stopped in the doorway. Everything was strewn around. Her clothes were thrown all over the floor, the mattress was against the wall, the chairs were laying on their sides, and all the drawers were opened and gone through.

"Damn it!" she cursed, walking into the room. She sighed and leaned down to start picking her clothes up. "You seem awfully calm about someone breaking into your room." Sherlock said, kneeling down and helping her. She looked at him and sighed. "Just used to it. Happens a lot in my line of work." she said, throwing the clothes back in her bag.

Sherlock remained quiet and helped her put her clothes back. She stood up and went over to the mattress. "Whoever was in here was determined to find what they were looking for." she said, putting the mattress back on the bed. "Did they find it?" Sherlock asked, fixing the chairs.

"Iʼm not stupid enough to leave it without me being here." Kayla replied.

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"What is it?" Sherlock asked after they got the room back to normal. Kayla looked at him confused. "Whatʼs what?" she asked. Sherlock rolled his eyes and sat down in one of the chairs. "Whatever it is that was the cause for the raid in your room."

"Oh." she said, realization hitting her. She reached into her back pocket and pulled her wallet out. She opened it and pulled out what looked like a black credit card. "This is a macro chip. This specific one holds _all _the information about the American government. Each agent is entrusted with one on a different country. Whoever was here was looking for this." she said, holding up the card.

Sherlock looked at the card and then at her. "Secret agent." he said, a smirk forming. "I shouldʼve known. Thatʼs the reason I could never read you. Thatʼs part of your job. To make sure no one can figure you out."

Kayla grinned and moved her jacket to the side to reveal a solid black glock tucked into her pants.

"Now howʼd I miss that." Sherlock asked, smirking at her. "Iʼm good at hiding things." she said, returning the smirk.

By this time, it was dark outside and it was getting late. "Sherlock, I want you to keep hold of this. Whoever was looking for this isnʼt just going to give up so easily. They know I have it, but they wonʼt expect me to trust it with someone else." she said, extending the card to him. Sherlock raised an eyebrow and took the card from her, inspecting it. "Why me? Why not your brother?" he asked, not looking up at her and memorizing each and every detail of the card. Kayla was silent for a moment before answering. "I trust you. With my life and now my work, which I think is sometimes more valuable than my life." she told him. Sherlock looked up at her then.

At that moment, he wanted to envelop her in a hug and tell her she was wrong, but he held back those emotions and buried them like he did with all the others. He stood up then and slipped the card into his pocket with his phone. "Youʼre staying with John and me." he said.

"Wait. What?" she asked, surprised by his sudden statement. He turned and looked at her. He smiled and threw her bag to her. She caught it easily and slung it over her shoulder. "No arguments. You can stay in my room for your stay." he told her, walking out of her room.

"What about you? Whereʼll you sleep?" she asked, catching up with him. "I can sleep on the couch." he said simply. Kayla laughed and stopped him by touching his arm. He stopped and turned around to look at her. "Thank you. Even though I would have been fine on my own, thank you anyway." she said, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. Before Sherlock could respond, she walked past him and went to the check in/out desk to check out. Sherlock looked at her bemused, a small smile forming on his lips as he followed after her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Third Person POV**

Kayla was laying on Sherlockʼs bed sideways so that her head hung off the side and she was looking at the wall upside down. She jumped, almost falling off the bed because of it, when someone cleared there throat. She sat up and smiled at John. "I didnʼt even hear the door open." she said, laughing lightly.

Kayla couldnʼt help but grin at the way John was acting. He was standing in the doorway awkwardly with his hand in his pockets and a light blush on his cheeks. "I didnʼt mean to startle you. I knocked twice and when you didnʼt answer, I thought you might have been asleep. Sherlock said youʼd be up here if I needed anything." he said. Kayla laughed. "I must have been pretty zoned out. Sorry. Anyway, what can I help you with?" she asked, changing her position so she was sitting cross legged in the middle of the bed and her arms resting on her thighs. "Um, I was wondering if I could talk to you about Sherlock and what you know about him Iʼve been living with him for a while now and I still feel as if I barely know him." he said.

"Yeah. Sure. I figured it would happen sooner or later." she said, smiling and patting the edge of the bed, signaling for him to sit next to her. John gave her a sheepish smile before tentatively sitting next to her on the bed. Kayla laughed and bumped him in the shoulder with hers. She laughed even harder when he almost fell off the bed.

He straightened himself and couldnʼt hold the laughter that had bubbled up. "Loosen up a little. I donʼt bite. Not hard at least." she joked once heʼd gotten himself straightened. John laughed and his posture visibly relaxed. "So, what do you want to know?" Kayla asked. John took a moment to calculate his first question, deciding to start off simple. "How did you and Sherlock meet?" he asked.

"Well, we met seven years ago when he was looking for a flat mate. My work had brought me here to London and I didnʼt feel like staying in the housing they offered at headquarters, so I started looking for flats. When I saw this one, I fell in love with it. It was the perfect distance from work and it wasnʼt right in the middle of town.

When I first met Sherlock, I thought he was the most annoying, infuriating, irritating, obnoxious, aggravating, and any other word you can think of man Iʼd ever met. But then I thought that since I wouldnʼt really be home that much, Iʼd be able to handle only having to see him maybe a few hours during they day providing he was even home. When I found out what he did for a living, I thought it was brilliant. When he told me he couldnʼt read me, I have to admit, I was extremely proud. It meant I was doing my job right. Sorry. Iʼm getting off track. Anyway, after two months of living with the insufferable man, I decided we needed to sit down and talk. Not about anything in particular, but just talk and get to know each other." she explained.

"After that, we became extremely close friends. I have noticed he acts and speaks to me differently than he does others. How does he act around you?" she asked. "Well, he seems to like me more than others." he said, looking at Kayla funny when she started laughing. "Iʼm sorry. Itʼs just the way you said it. Thatʼs actually really good. There arenʼt very many people he actually likes." she said, grinning at the older man.

"You think so?" John asked. Kayla nodded.

"What is that you do exactly." John asked. Kayla thought for a moment on wether she should tell people what she did. She knew she could trust Lestrade. He was police officer. Sherlock was a completely different story. She hated to admit it, but Sherlock was her only true best friend and she trusted him with her life.

"I work for a secret organization known as Phantom. Some call us spies, we prefer to call ourselves intelligence agents." she said. John raised an eyebrow at her. "Arenʼt those the same things?" he asked. "Well, yes, but intelligence agent sounds more important and less conspicuous." she said matter-of-factly.

Sherlock barged into the flat and stopped for a moment. It was quiet. Really quiet. Too quiet for Kayla being here. Then he heard laughter from upstairs. Making his way towards the laughter, he stopped in front of his bedroom door. He pushed the door open and raised an eyebrow. "Has he always talked to the skull?" John asked.

Kayla laughed and scratched her head. "I may have _gotten _him the skull for his birthday our second year living together." she said, giggling the entire time. John doubled over in laughter, his face turning red. "Talking about me while Iʼm not here. Very childlike." Sherlock said, making his presence known and crossing his arms over his chest.

John jumped a little, but Kayla just looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "I wouldʼve done whether you were here or not." she said, sticking her tongue out at him when he glared at her. "Youʼre right, he does act differently." John said, getting up and brushing past Sherlock and down the stairs.

Kayla giggled and flopped down on the bed. "Iʼm not gone for even an hour and youʼre telling John stories about me." Sherlock said, walking into the room and over to his closet. "Whereʼd you go?" Kayla asked curiously, watching him as he pulled out his clothes for the next day.

"Was called to the morgue." he stated. Kayla rolled her eyes and got up from the bed. "Anything you want to talk about?" she asked, becoming serious as she leaned against the was next to the closet door. "No. Why would I need to talk about it?" Sherlock asked, never looking at her. "Because even though you like to put on the show that you donʼt have a compassionate bone in your body, I know you better than that." she said.

Sherlock stopped and looked her. "Donʼt lie to me Sherlock. I know that deep down, it bothers you at least a little bit." she told him. Sherlock sighed and closed his eyes. "Iʼll be fine. Iʼve gotten used to it over the years. It doesnʼt bother me as much anymore." he said once he opened his eyes and looked at her. He gave her a small smiled before grabbing his clothes and heading for the door.

"Iʼll see you in the morning." he said softly before heading down the stairs into the living room. Kayla smiled and went over to her bag to pull out her night clothes. She changed, put her hair up in a ponytail, and climbed into Sherlockʼs bed. Curling up in the center, she hugged the blankets around herself and fell fast asleep to the sound of a soft violin playing in the background.

**A/N: Yay! Bonding time with Kayla and John! Please R&R and let me know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Cookies to everyone who reviewed!**

**Chapter Eight**

**Third Person POV**

Kayla woke the next morning fairly early. Her phone said it was eight seventeen, but it felt much earlier to her. She groaned and rolled over, looking outside. Today was cloudy and that made her feel more tired. She stretched and decided she should probably get up. She opened the door and she felt a wonderful sense of déjà vu.

Kayla smiled and went down the stairs to the living room. She couldnʼt help the giggle that escaped when she walked into the living room. There, laying on the couch, was the most adorable sight she had ever seen. Sherlock was curled up on the couch, slightly sprawled, and was halfway under the sheet that was covering him.

His mouth was slightly open due to the angle his head was and his curls were in disarray. She couldnʼt help but think he looked peaceful for once. He looked as content as any other person in the world, but she knew that once he woke, it would be gone. Kayla smiled, walking over as quietly as she could and covered him fully with the sheet. She patted his head softly and froze completely when he shifted in his sleep. When he showed no signs of being awake, she relaxed a little. She went into the kitchen and started to make some coffee.

Sherlock woke to the blissful smell of coffee. He opened his eyes and groaned. His back felt a little stiff. He looked down at himself and realized why. It was definitely caused from position he was laying in. He groaned when he moved to sit up. Kayla appeared in the doorway of the kitchen and smiled. "Morning." she said and then frowned.

"Whatʼs wrong?" she asked, seeing the look of pain on his face. Sherlock immediately wiped all traces of pain from his face and smiled at her. "Nothing. Perfectly fine." he said, standing up and wincing when his back cracked involuntarily. Kayla studied him for a moment before nodding and heading back into the kitchen.

Sherlock winced one more time before heading into the kitchen as well. He stopped abruptly when he walked in. "What did you do?" he asked.

Kayla didnʼt look up from the paper she was reading while sitting at the kitchen table. "Honestly Sherlock, I thought I broke you of that habit. Everything is back where it belongs. In their respective cabinets. You really should be more careful. Wouldnʼt want anything to happen to them." she warned.

"You wouldnʼt dare." he said, crossing his arms. Kayla chuckled and looked up at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I did it before. Donʼt think I wonʼt do it again." she said, getting up and handing him a cup of coffee. Sherlock couldnʼt help the grin that was forming and took the cup of coffee.

Kayla watched as he took the paper from her and went into the living room. Kayla rolled her eyes and followed after him, sitting in Johnʼs chair.

"Were you playing the violin last night?" she asked after a moment of silence. Sherlock looked up from the paper and grinned. "I mightʼve been. Why?" he said, looking back at the paper. "Thank you. It helped me fall asleep." she said, taking a sip of her coffee and looking out the window.

Sherlock smirked behind the paper. "Glad I could help."

The next few mornings were pretty much the same. Sherlock and Kayla would talk until John woke up, which was about an hour after they had, and then all three of them would spend the day in town. Sherlock would complain that it was boring, but went along anyway, while John and Kayla laughed.

"I donʼt see the purpose in it." Sherlock said, getting out of the cab. "There is no purpose." Kayla said, getting out after him and paying the cabbie. "Itʼs about spending time together. Sheʼs only got another day to spend here with us. And I must say, Iʼve grown quite fond of her over this past week." John said, walking around the cab and swinging his arm over her shoulder. Kayla poked him in the side and laughed when he ducked away from her.

"Well you, good sir, have become a thorn in my side." she joked. John laughed and put his hands in his pockets. "I have this feeling you two are conspiring against me." Sherlock said, wrapping his scarf tighter around his neck. Kayla skipped forward a little and turned around so she was walking backwards so she could look at him. "Thatʼs only because youʼre paranoid. And I enjoy making you feel uncomfortable. I try to make it my priority to make things difficult for you." she said, grinning the entire time.

"Why wouldnʼt that surprise me?" he retorted quietly. Kayla grinned and spun around so she was facing forward again.

**A/N: Please R&R!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Third Person POV**

The next morning, Kayla felt depressed. She didnʼt want to leave Baker St. Sheʼd been having a wonderful time. Sheʼd gotten to rekindle her friendship with Sherlock and had started a wonderful friendship with John. Mrs. Hudson was more than pleased to see the two boys doing something other than spending all their time at crime scenes. "Iʼm guessing Sherlock didnʼt want to see me off?" Kayla asked, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. "I think Lestrade called him early this morning. Donʼt worry. Iʼm sure heʼd be here if he didnʼt have something else." John reassured her. Mrs. Hudson smiled at her and wrapped her arms around the girl.

"Iʼm so sad to see you going. Never forget that youʼre always welcome back." she said, giving Kayla a light squeeze before letting her go. John walked over and wrapped his arms around her as well. "Thank you." he whispered in her ear and pulled away. Kayla looked up at him confused. "For what?"

"For letting me know I wasnʼt the only one crazy enough to put with Sherlock and be stupid enough to live with him." he said, smiling at her. Kayla laughed and gave them both one last hug before getting in the cab. "Airport please." she said once she was settled in the cab comfortably.

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The cab ride, to Kayla, took far too long. She thanked and paid the cabbie, throwing her bag over her shoulder. She looked at her watch and sighed in relief. She had at least twenty minutes before her flight took off. She thought she might miss it with the traffic theyʼd gotten into on the way. Walking into the airport, she went into the waiting area and sat down, pulling a book out of her bag and relaxing as much as was possible in the uncomfortable chair.

"Sorry I wasn't there to see you off." came a familiar voice beside her, causing her to jump and look up from her book. She smiled brightly at the man who occupied the chair next to her. "I thought you'd been called for a case." She said, returning to her novel. "No, just thinking." Sherlock said, looking at the people that walked past the couple.

"So, what're you doing here then?" she asked, immediately regretting the coldness of her tone. "Like I said, I was thinking. And I've come to a conclusion." He said, pausing. Kayla looked at him again in confusion, closing her book and placing it on her lap. "And what was your conclusion?" she asked. Sherlock glanced at her and then cleared his throat. "I've decided…that…I don't want you to leave again." He said, his voice cracking slightly.

Kayla couldn't help the grin that formed at how nervous he sounded and then the grin faded, realizing what this meant. "Sherlock, if I stay, it'll put you and the others in danger." Kayla said, looking at the man sitting next to her. Sherlock gave her a slight grin. "You've made the risk before, haven't you?" he asked, fixing his coat.

Kayla chewed on her bottom lip and thought. After a moment, she sighed in defeat and looked back at the consulting detective. "I guess I could do a transfer. Have them send me all my files and missions? Have an office here in London?" she mused to herself mostly. "Well then," Sherlock said, standing up and offering her his hand. "I guess it's settled then."

Kayla looked up at him in disbelief. "Excuse you, I haven't decided anything." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. Sherlock only smirked at her, his hand still offered to her. "Ugh, fine." She said, taking his hand and standing up.

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After Kayla had gotten her bag, the couple left the airport and got a cab back to the flat. Deep down, Kayla was glad Sherlock had come and convinced her, but she also knew that right next to it was worry that something might happen to Sherlock and the new friends she'd made in the short time she'd been back.

"You're thinking too much." Sherlock said, watching the woman next to him bite her nails as she watched the scenery fly by the cab. Kayla looked up suddenly and dropped her hand, giving him a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Just worried." She said, brushing her hair behind her ear.

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"You can stay in my room until the spare room downstairs is ready." Sherlock said as they got out of the cab. "Are you sure? I don't mind sleeping on the couch." Kayla said, hefting her bag onto her shoulder. Sherlock gave her a pointed look that said not to argue with him. Kayla rolled her eyes and braced herself for what she knew was going to come when she entered the flat.

Mrs. Hudson had been ecstatic that Kayla was coming to stay and John was happy to see his friend actually show an effort towards someone.

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"_Are you sure about this? We haven't had a base in London in years. You're one of the best agents we have and I think, if this is what you want, that it'd be great if we had a liaison in London. I don't think a base in necessary though."_ Samuel said over the phone. Kayla let out a small laugh and rubbed a hand down her face. "I feel better than I have in a while, Sam. Maybe this is something I've needed for a while."

Samuel chuckled over the phone. _"Alright. I'll have Nick send all you're files to your personal computer. It's getting pretty late. I'll call you later and see how things are holding up."_ Samuel said. "Thanks, Sam." Kayla said before hanging up her phone and flopping down onto the bed with a sigh.

Kayla sighed and closed her eyes. She thought talking Samuel into letting her stay in London was going to be much harder. Luckily, it took little to none to convince him to let her stay.

**A/N: Please R&R!**


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